Ball glove backstop

ABSTRACT

A ball glove having spaced finger and thumb sections with a backstop connected to and substantially closing the area between those sections. The backstop includes a pair of spaced side segments which are joined to a connecting segment at bellowslike folds. The folds permit the connecting segment to move rearwardly with respect to the side segments when a ball strikes the backstop and, in addition, enables the side segments to spread away from the connecting segment. This displacement between the segments permits the backstop to more closely conform to the shape of a ball which enters it, and to expand upon ball impact which absorbs some of the energy. It also allows the segments to work relative to each other, which affords greater control over the glove and enhances its retention capabilities.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Roland N. Latina Bellevllle, Ill.[21] Appl. No. 5,231 [22] Filed Jan. 23.1970 [45] Patented July 6, 1971[73] Assignee Rawlings Sporting Goods Company St. Louis, Mo.

[54] BALL GLOVE BACKSTOP 10 Claims, 7 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.Cl.. 2/19 [51] A4ld 13/10 [50] Field of Search 2/19, 20,158,159,161A

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,042,929 7/1962 Kobos 2/193.169.250 2/1965 l-leiman 2/19 3,321,771 5/1967 Latina PrimaryExaminer-James R. Boler Attorney-Gravely, Lieder & Woodruff ABSTRACT: Aball glove having spaced finger and thumb sections with a backstopconnected to and substantially closing the area between those sections.The backstop includes a pair of spaced side segments which are joined toa connecting segment at bellowslike folds. The folds permit theconnecting segment to move rearwardly with respect to the side segmentswhen a ball strikes the backstop and, in addition, enables the side.segments to spread away' from the connecting segment. This displacementbetween the segments permits the backstop to more closely conform to theshape of a ball which enters it, and to expand upon ball impact whichabsorbs some of the energy. It also allows the segments to work relativeto each other,. which affords greater control over the glove andenhances its retention capabilities.

PATENTEB JUL 6 m?! SHEET 2 UP 2 F l: OOOOOOOOOJOOO xFIG] BALL GLOVEB'AcKsToP BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates in generalto ball gloves, and more particularly to backstops for ball gloves.

In many gloves of current manufacture the finger sections extendconsiderably beyond the ends of the fielder's fingers, and likewise thethumb section extends considerably beyond the end of the fielders thumb.Indeed, the fielder's fingers for the most part are presented behind thepalm portion of the glove body, that is, directly behind the pocket areaof the glove where baseballs are most often caught. The foregoingconstruction coupled with the natural divergence of the fielders thumband index finger require a relatively wide and long backstop between thethumb section and the first finger section of the glove body. This backstop forms a continuation of the-pocket in the glove body and therebyprevents balls from passing between the thumb and finger sections of theglove.

In gloves of current manufacture the backstop normally constitutesnothing more than a fiat piece of webbing laced or otherwise secured tothe opposed edges of the thumb section and the index finger section. Byreason of this flat construction, hard hit balls which enter the glovepocket obliquely or off center have a tendency to pass along thebackstop and slip out of the pocket. Furthermore, the relatively flatweb detracts from the flexibility of the glove, making control of theglove difficult, particularly when it is new and not yet broken SUMMARYOF THE INVENTION One of the principal objects of the present inventionis to provide a ball glove with a backstop having superior retentioncapabilities for balls which enter it Another object is to provide abackstop having segments which yield relative to one another so as toform a deep pocket within the backstop. A further object is to provide abackstop which is quite flexible and enables the user to maintain a highdegree of control over the glove. Still another object is to provide abackstop which provides a deep pocket in the glove, yet affords easyretrieval of balls caught in the glove. Yet another object is to providea backstop which is simple in construction and easy to manufacture.These and objects and advantages will become apparent hereinafter.

The present invention is embodied in a ball glove having a backstopformed from a plurality of segments connected together through bellowlike folds. The invention also consists in the parts and in thearrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimedDESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings which form partof the specification and wherein like numerals and letters refer to likeparts wherever they occur:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the front of a ball glove having abackstop constructed in accordance with and embodying the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the rear of the ball glove;

FIG. 3 is a view of the front of the backstop;

FIG. 4 is a view of the rear of the backstop;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are sectional views taken along lines 5-5 and 6-6,respectively, of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 7 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 6, but showing the backstopexpanded on impact with a ball.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now in detail to the drawings, 2designates a ball glove including a glove body 4 (FIGS. 1 and 2) havingan outer shell 6 provided with finger sections 8, 10, 12 and 14 and athumb section 16, all of which emanate from a palm area 18 on the outershell 6. One margin of the palm area 18 terminates at a heel 20, whilean opposite margin defines a crotch 22 located between the first orindex finger section 8 and the thumb section 16.

The glove body 4 also includes an inner or lining shell (not shown)having finger stalls and a thumb stall for receiving the users fingersand thumb, respectively. The finger stalls are positioned such that theusers fingers will be spread generally behind the palm area 13 of theglove body' 4 with the tips of the fingers being in the vicinity of theinner ends of the finger sections 8, l0, l2 and 14. Similarly, the thumbstall positions the end of the users thumb in alignment with and nearthe beginning of the thumb section 16. Thus, the finger sections 8, 10,12 and 14, and the thumb section 16 form extensions of the user'sfingers and thumb, respectively.

The space between first or index finger section 8 and the thumb section16 is closed by a backstop 30 which is secured to the finger section 8and the thumb section 16 as well as to the intervening crotch 22 of theglove body 4 by means of a leather or other suitable lacing 32. Thebackstop 30 is normally substantially flat and together with theadjoining palm area 18 of the glove body 4 forms a ball receiving pocket34 (FIG. 1) within the glove 2.

Broadly speaking, the backstop 30 consists of three backstop segments,namely a pair of side segments 40 and ,42

and a center or connecting segment 44 (FIGS. 3, 4 and 6), which arepositioned adjacent one another across the space between the indexfinger section 8 and the thumb section 16. In particular, the sidesegments 40 and 42 are attached to the first finger section 8 and thethumb section 16, respectively, whereas the center segment 44 isattached at its sides to the inwardly presented sides of the sidesegments 40 and 42 to close the area between them. The side segments 40and 42 each include a separate facing ply 46 which is preferably cutfrom leather and at its margin adjacent to the center segment 44 isfolded or doubled backwardly upon itself away from the opposite sidesegment 40 or 42 in the formation of a bellows fold 48 (FIG. 6). Thebellows folds 48 extend generally in the same direction as the firstfinger and thumb sections 8 and 16.

The facing ply 46 for each side segment 40 and 42 is attached to acommon backing ply 50 (FIG. 4) by means of a run ofstitching 52, and thebacking ply 50, like the facing plies 46, is also preferably formed fromleather. In the vicinity of the center segment 44 the common backing ply50 is provided with a cutout 54. having opposed side margins which areslightly curved and divergent, and these side margins are normallypositioned adjacent to and in abutment with the end edges of the turnedback bellows folds 48 on the overlying facing plies 46 (FIG. 6). At itsouter end, that is, the end furthest from the crotch 22, the backing ply50 is looped over the facing ply 46 of each side segment 40 and 42(FIGS. 3 and 5) and stitched thereto along a straight run of stitching56 which forms a tunnel 58 across the outer end of the backstop 30. Thetunnel 58 contains a lacing 60 (FIGS. 1 and 2) which extends into theouter ends of the first finger and thumb section 8 and 16 on the glovebody 4. At the tunnel 58 the backing ply 50, including its overturnedportion, is provided with a plurality of spaced apertures 62 throughwhich more lacing 64 is passed. The lacing 64 between each aperture 62is looped over the folded portion of the backing ply 50 so that thelacing 64 is spirally wound around the lacing 60 at the outer margin ofthe backstop 30. This reinforces the outer end portion of the backstop30 and prevents that portion from folding backwardly when a hard hitball is snagged therein.

The center segment 44 includes two plies 66 (FIGS. 5 and 6) of leatheror some other suitable material which are sewn together in overlyingrelation along a run of stitching 68. Each ply 66 possesses the sameconfiguration for most of the length of the backstop 30 is the same asthe configuration of the eutout 54 in the common backing ply 50.Moreover, the run of stitching 68 is located in close proximity to theside margins of the plies 66 and extends through the bellows folds 48,securing those folds 48 to the center segment 44 such that end marginsof the folds 48 register with the side margins of the overlying plies66. The side margins of the center segment 44 are normally presented inclose proximity'to the opposed side margins of the cutout 54 so that thecenter segment 44 normally gives the appearance of completely fillingthe cutout 54. The

outer end of the center segment 44 extends outwardly beyond theoutermost margin of the cutout 54 and in between the main body of thebacking ply 50 and the overturned portion thereof (FIG. 5), and that endof the center segment 44 is caught in the straight run of stitching 56which secures the tunnel 58. At the extreme inner ends of the centersegment 44 the overlying plies 66 thereof are attached directly to thefolds 48 and to the backing and facing plies 50 and 46 of the sidesegments 40 and 42 by means of stitches 69 (FIGS. 3 and 4) so that thecenter segment 44 will not separate from the side segments 40 and 42 atits inner or lower end. Similarly, the straight run of stitching 56prevents the center segment 44 from separating from the side segments 42at the outer or upper end of the backstop 30. The plies 46 and 50 of theside segments 40 and 42 and the plies 66 of the center segment 44 areall fitted and stitched together such that the backstop 30 possesses aconcave configuration.

The bellows folds 48 permit the center segment 44 to move rearwardlyaway from the side segments 40 and 42, thus deepening the pocket 34formed in part by the backstop 30. In addition, the bellows folds 48enable the side segments 40 and 42 to spread laterally away from thecenter segment at the center of the backstop 30 to increase theconcavity of the pocket 34 within the backstop 30. In this connection,it should be noted that the side margins of the outer segment 44 andlikewise the normally abutting side margins of the cutout 54 areslightly curved and diverge slightly from the inner end of the backstop39 to the tunnel 58. Moreover, at their extreme inner and outer margins,the center segment 44 and the two side segments 40 and 42 are stitchedtogether so no spreading between them occurs at both ends of thebackstop 30. However, at the center of the backstop 30 the side segments40 and 42 are only attached through the bellows folds 48 so thatspreading will occur in this area. The folds 48 possess their greatestwidth through the center of the backstop 30 so that greater spreadingbetween the segments 40 and 42 and the segment 44 will occur in thisarea, as opposed to the areas ad jacent to the inner or outer ends ofthe backstop 30.

The outwardly presented margins of the side segments 40 and 42, that is,the margins located opposite from the bellows folds 48, are curved andgenerally conform to the curvature of the first finger section 8, thecrotch 22, and the thumb section 16 of the glove body 4 (FIG. 2). Theinnermost margin of the center segment 44, which is relatively short,forms a continuation of the curved margins on the side segments 40 and42 and is located adjacent to the crotch 22 of the glove body 4.

Finally, it should be noted that the run of stitching 52 connecting thefacing ply 46 and the backing ply 50 of the side segments 40 and 42extends outwardly from the vicinity of the bellows folds 48 toward theside margin of the backstop and then back in again at generally equallyspaced intervals so that the side segments 40 and 42 are provided with aplurality of outwardly opening stalls 70. The same is true of the run ofstitching 68 in the center segment 44 at the inner end of that segment.The portion of the common backing ply 50 behind each :.tall 70 in thesegments 40 and 42 and likewise the portion of the rearmost ply 66behind each stall 70 in the segment 44 is provided with an aperture 72for accommodating the lacing 32 which is passed alternately through theapertures 72 and stalls 70 and through first finger sections 8, crotch22 or thumb section 16 of the glove body 4. Thus, the side margins ofthe backstop 30 are held against the opposed side margins of the firstfinger section 8 and thumb section 16 so as to close the area betweenthose sections.

Normally, the backstop 30 possesses some concavity yet is substantiallyflat, and it forms a continuation of the concaved palm area 18 of theglove body 4 so as to create a relatively deep pocket 34 in the glove 2(FIG. 1). In this position the center segment 44 substantially fills thecutout 54 (FIG. 2) so that the curved side margins of plies 66 on thecenter segment 44 and the registered end margins of the bellows folds 48are for the most part in abutment with the opposed side margins formingthe cutout 54 in the backing ply 46. In short, the center segment 44 islocated adjacent to the side segments 42 when the bellows folds 48 arefully folded.

When a ball enters the pocket 34 of the glove 2 and strikes the backstop30 (FIG. 7), either directly or after passing along the palm area 18 ofthe glove body 4, the center area of the center segment 44 is displacedrearwardly relative to the side segments 40 and 42 inasmuch as thesegments 40 and 42 are connected to the center segment 44 at thatlocation only through the folds 48. As this occurs, the' bellows folds48 open and permit the side segments 40 and 42 to spread away from therearwardly displaced center portion 44. Hence, the pocket 34 deepens,and its degree of concavity increases, thus enabling it to more easilycapture and retain a ball. In other words, when a ball strikes thebackstop 30, the bellows folds 48 permit the three sections 40, 44 and42 of the backstop 30 to yield and assume the curvature of the ball sothat the ball is retained in the glove 2.

The opening of the bellows folds 48 in the presence of a hard hit ballfurthermore absorbs some of the energy of the ball so that not all of itis transferred to adjacent portions of the glove body 4 and to theplayers wrist.

Finally, the bellows folds 48 impart flexibility to the backstop 30 andthis, in turn, enables the player to have more control over the glovebody 4.

This invention is intended to cover all changes and modifications of theexample of the invention herein chosen for purposes of the disclosurewhich do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of theinvention.

What l claim is:

1. in a ball glove including a glove body having a ball-receiving pocketand spaced apart thumb and finger sections, and improved backstopforming a continuation of the ball-receiving pocket of the glove bodyand attached to the thumb and finger sections for substantially closingthe space between those sections, the backstop comprising a plurality ofsegments forming an initially substantially flat backstop, andbellowslike folds operatively connecting said segments and responsivewhen a ball strikes the backstop to unfold and expand said backstop intoa ball-catching pocket by allowing said segments to move out of theinitially flat condition between the segments.

2. A structure according to claim 1 wherein the segments are arrangedadjacent one another between the thumb and finger sections ofthe glovebody; and wherein the folds extend generally in the direction of thethumb and finger sections.

3. A structure according to claim 2 wherein the folds fold away from theball-receiving pocket.

4. A structure according to claim 2 wherein the folds do not open at theends of the segments so that the ends of adjacent segments are notdisplaced relative to one another, whereby when a ball strikes thecenter area of the backstop and the folds in that center area open, thebackstop will assume a more concave shape.

5. A structure according to claim 2 wherein two spaced segments havefacing plies forming a portion of the ball-receiving side of thebackstop; wherein the facing plies are doubled back upon themselves toform the bellowslike folds; and wherein a connecting segment is attachedto the folds and extends between the two spaced segments.

6. A structure according to claim 5 wherein the spaced segments furtherinclude a backing ply attached to the facing ply and forming a cutout inthe back side of the backstop; and wherein the connecting segment isgenerally positioned within the cutout.

7. A structure according to claim 6 wherein the connecting segmentsubstantially fills the cutout when the folds are fully folded.

8. A structure according to claim 7 wherein the side margins of thecutout in the backing ply terminate at the area of the glove bodythrough which the finger section and the thumb section merge.

9. A structure according to claim 7 wherein the backing ply at its outerend is folded forwardly across the facing plies and attached to thefacing plies and the connecting segment so as to form a tunnel throughthe backstop; and wherein a lacing extends through the tunnel and intothe first finger and thumb sections of the glove body.

10. In a ball glove including a glove body having spaced apart thumb andfinger sections, an improved backstop form- *zgz gy UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,590,389 Dated July 6, 1971Inventor(s) Roland N. Latina It is certified that error appears in theabove-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are herebycorrected as shown below:

"by mesne assignment to The Assignee should be:

an Ohio Corporation" A-T-O Inc., Willoughby, Ohio;

Signed and sealed this 16th day of November 1971.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD MFLETCHERA'R. ROBERT GO'ITSCHALK Attesting Officer ActingCommissioner of Patents

1. In a ball glove including a glove body having a ballreceiving pocketand spaced apart thumb and finger sections, and improved backstopforming a continuation of the ball-receiving pocket of the glove bodyand attached to the thumb and finger sections for substantially closingthe space between those sections, the backstop comprising a plurality ofsegments forming an initially substantially flat backstop, andbellowslike folds operatively connecting said segments and responsiveWhen a ball strikes the backstop to unfold and expand said backstop intoa ball-catching pocket by allowing said segments to move out of theinitially flat condition between the segments.
 2. A structure accordingto claim 1 wherein the segments are arranged adjacent one anotherbetween the thumb and finger sections of the glove body; and wherein thefolds extend generally in the direction of the thumb and fingersections.
 3. A structure according to claim 2 wherein the folds foldaway from the ball-receiving pocket.
 4. A structure according to claim 2wherein the folds do not open at the ends of the segments so that theends of adjacent segments are not displaced relative to one another,whereby when a ball strikes the center area of the backstop and thefolds in that center area open, the backstop will assume a more concaveshape.
 5. A structure according to claim 2 wherein two spaced segmentshave facing plies forming a portion of the ball-receiving side of thebackstop; wherein the facing plies are doubled back upon themselves toform the bellowslike folds; and wherein a connecting segment is attachedto the folds and extends between the two spaced segments.
 6. A structureaccording to claim 5 wherein the spaced segments further include abacking ply attached to the facing ply and forming a cutout in the backside of the backstop; and wherein the connecting segment is generallypositioned within the cutout.
 7. A structure according to claim 6wherein the connecting segment substantially fills the cutout when thefolds are fully folded.
 8. A structure according to claim 7 wherein theside margins of the cutout in the backing ply terminate at the area ofthe glove body through which the finger section and the thumb sectionmerge.
 9. A structure according to claim 7 wherein the backing ply atits outer end is folded forwardly across the facing plies and attachedto the facing plies and the connecting segment so as to form a tunnelthrough the backstop; and wherein a lacing extends through the tunneland into the first finger and thumb sections of the glove body.
 10. In aball glove including a glove body having spaced apart thumb and fingersections, an improved backstop forming a ball-receiving pocket with theglove body and being attached to the thumb and finger sections forsubstantially closing the space between those sections, the backstopcomprising a plurality of sections connected to each other atbellowslike folds so that the sections can yield relative to one anotherand increase the depth of and impart greater contour to the backstop andball-receiving pocket.